Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Our adventures in Zanzibar are going as planned. We toured Stone Town including what has to be the craziest open air market on the planet and then headed to the northern costal city of Nungi. In the picture we are drinking sugar cane juice.

Our hotel, Ras Nungi, sat right on the beach of white sand and emerald ocean. When we arrived we were greeted with cold towels to freshen up with and fresh juice to sip on while we checked in. Sweet service!

The first night of our stay was my birthday. After dinner we heard some singing coming from the kitchen where the wait staff was carrying a cake. Immediately I looked at Steph who said she did not set it up so I thought it must be for someone else. They walked around the entire dinning room before finally stopping at our table to sing Happy Birthday to me and present me with a two layer cake that even said "Happy Birthday Josh" for dessert. It was an unexpected but welcome and memorable surprise. Oh, in case you were wondering I to put out all of the candles with one breath...

After breakfast the next morning Steph decided to read in the hammock so I went for a walk down the beach where the local fisherman were bringing in the days catch. I made a friend in one of the tribes who took me around to all of the fisherman showing me their catch as they cut it up. He even went so far as to translate in English what they were all saying. It was unbelievable that I could get this close to real life on the Zanzibar coast. My new friend was so friendly and welcoming that at one point he was even telling me about his wife and soon to be born child along with some of the tribe gossip. He whispered and pointed, "This guy has 2 wives, shhh"...

From Nungi we toured the Jozani Forrest which has an endangered species of monkeys. This was our first chance to see monkeys in the wild and they are to say the least fascinating. After the forest we went to Prison Island where they have the giant turtles that live for 150 years or so. Our guide even arranged for us to feed the turtles! Steph was in heaven.

1 comment:

Thanks for sharing! Your words were written beautifully...I could just picture it all as if I were there,too! I had to laugh at the guy telling you about the other fellow who had two wives, Shhhh. LOL!!! Steph's day to lounge in the hammock reading sounded like a day I would love!Love and hugs to you both~Kathy